what not to do

[xscribe]

I thought it would be a good idea to post a thread on the do's and don'ts that I have encountered on the air cooled front.
1. do Change oil regularly.
2. do clamp those fuel lines.
3. don't "test" the brake system without putting back all the brake drums (i did that one)
4. check your fuel filter regularly along with brake fluid and oil.
5. don't force anything
6. if its not working walk away and work on something else until it comes to you and you make it work.
7. do it once and do it right.



Feel free to add to the list.

[noR]

Are those all really don'ts? or just tips.

#1 sounds scary,.

[Porkchop]

Don't keep driving it after you hear a constant thump. It means one of your axles is about to come off.

Got my Square for cheap because the previous owner drove it for 2 days with the aforementioned thump. Axle came loose on the highway, the loose end swung around a knocked a hole in the automatic transmission. So.... I picked it up for a song and converted it to a 4 speed manual.

[xscribe]

Wow and I have to add another one.
NO matter how "good" the tires you got with the old car "look"... don't be cheap! Buy some new ones. I found that out last week when I fixed up my 64 bus to drive.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by xscribe

Wow and I have to add another one.
NO matter how "good" the tires you got with the old car "look"... don't be cheap! Buy some new ones. I found that out last week when I fixed up my 64 bus to drive.

This is so true - when all the Firestone stuff was going on with the flipping Explorers, lots of stories around about how tires dry rot from the inside out and any tire over 8 years old are unsafe. Eep.

[jackfrost]

heres another

DO carry spare points and a matchbook cover to get you home when the old points decide to fry in the middle of nowhere

[xscribe]

Oh yeah! Also add to that a spare fan belt a fuel filter and a throttle cable. (a whole distributor maybe).